Increase in accidents with senior drivers concerns police

In Orleans, the number of car accidents involving seniors has increased between 2013 and 2014.

By Jamie Balliett

ORLEANS – Everything was business as usual on the morning of March 12 at Windmill Plaza in East Orleans.

As box holders went in and out of the post office picking up or sending out their mail, an exercise class was in full swing at Balanced 4 Fitness studio, and renovations were under way at Zia Pizza.

Outside, suddenly an 85-year-old woman from Orleans hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal on her Toyota RAV4 and ended up hopping the concrete walkway and damaging the building. Luckily, no one was hurt.

The Orleans town clerk's recent census data confirm the fact that the town is popular place for retirees. The median age for residents has climbed to 60 years of age, far above the statewide median of 43 years. And 41.5 percent of the town is now occupied by those 65 years and older.

And as residents are living longer, they are also driving older. Senior drivers, according to University of Massachusetts associate professor of gerontology Elizabeth Dugan, are usually safe on road, driving slower speeds and shorter distances. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data prove that the 16 to 20 and the 21 to 24 age groups are involved in the most fatal crashes. But when an accident does happen involving a driver over the age of 85, there is a nine-fold increase in fatalities.

And while driving one’s own car is an expression of independence, older residents sometimes experience physical and mental impairments that can make a simple trip to the local store a life threatening experience.

In Orleans, the number of car accidents involving seniors has increased between 2013 and 2014. During a six-month period last year, there were 9 accidents with drivers over the age of 70 and all nine of those were cited but this year during the same period, there have been 16 accidents and 12 drivers were cited. Three of the latest accidents involved running into a building.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety based in Arlington, Virginia, in 2012, there were an estimated 29 million drivers in the U.S. over the age of 70, or about 11 percent of the total licensed drivers. That number has grown from 73 percent over the age of 70 with a license in 1997 to 79 percent in 2012. By 2030, due to the surge in baby boomer retirees, up to 53 million drivers will be over the age of 70.

Orleans Police Lt. Kevin Higgins said the increase in accidents is a challenge the community is working to address. Sometimes the department has to intervene and ask the state Registry of Motor Vehicles to suspend or revoke an individual’s driver’s license.

Other times, a family member will come to the police and seek assistance with an older relative who wont agree to stop driving. A doctor can also become involved, writing a letter to the Registry.

“We do play a role with families seeking help. We can link them to staff at the council on aging to find out what’s happening,” he said.

Higgins said a few years ago when he was a patrolman, he saw a vehicle come to an intersection and the driver did not turn and look and just pulled out in front of another vehicle and almost caused an accident. He pulled the driver over and told him that he didn’t look and he said, “I figured that he’d see me.”

“A lot of the information and decisions out there are subjective and some drivers think they are turning their heads enough but they are not,” he said.

Following a rash of accidents including fatalities in 2010, the state changed the law for seniors over the age of 75, now requiring them to renew their license every five years in person and pass an eye exam.

“This is such a tough issue for people because few are willing to address a change that will limit their freedom,” said Orleans Council on Aging Director Judi Wilson. “It can be a very sensitive area, people can get charged when approached.”

Wilson said the council helps residents talk about any driving decisions and for those who no longer drive, offers van pickups for trips for local errands but her schedule is limited.

“We are considering expanding the service and adding a second vehicle to meet the growing need. It will mean another driver and additional costs to maintain the shuttles,” she said.

One new tool to help educate older drivers is the American Association of Retired Persons Smart Driver course. Wilson said she was going to offer the refresher sessions to better educate residents.

“We have had accidents here in our lot and even one on Rock Harbor Road where a driver hit a bike. I am hosting this AARP workshop because it’s so important to get the word out,” she said.

Wilson also encouraged families to plan for the spectrum of topics relative to senior years, including home maintenance, financial decisions, power of attorney, and transportation choices.

“We are living longer and want to stay independent but we are not always doing the planning we need to decide when driving is no longer safe,” she said.

Balanced 4 Fitness owner Andi Hibbert was inside her studio teaching when the accident occurred on March 12.

“It was scary. She definitely hit the gas hard to jump the curb. After it happened, her car was still running and something was spilling from the engine. I had to keep my customers inside until we knew it was safe,” she said.

Hibbert said that this issue involves many in town, including her own family. Her father-in-law recently experienced a cognitive lapse while driving and he didn’t know where he was going in the middle of a trip.

“He would totally blank out and needed directions, even in town. Now it’s a matter of hiding the keys from him. It’s too dangerous. It’s been a huge adjustment,” she said.

Wilson said the best thing to do is talk about the issue and never ignore the warning signs like damage to a vehicle or fixed property like a tree or garage.

“No one wants to think about loss as you get older but abilities do change,” she said.